1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to clothing articles, textile articles and the like and more particularly relates to an improved clothing article that includes an applique that is comprised of a hologram that is framed by a frame member having a central window for displaying the hologram and a peripheral portion with a welt for attaching the combination of the frame member and a hologram sheet layer to the clothing article, textile article or the like. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to clothing articles such as T-shirts, hats, sweat shirts, and like textile products having an applique that includes a frame member having three dimensional graphics and a central window through which a hologram can be displayed so that the user simultaneously displays the hologram and the three dimensional graphics carried by the frame member.
2. General Background
T-shirts, sweat shirts, jackets and the like are frequently sold with an applique that is stitched thereto. In the past, these appliques have taken the form of layers of cloth such as felt, wool, and the like. The problem with such layers of clothing is that they quickly lose color, shape, and definition.
An example of an early patent that discusses the attachment of insignia or appliques to clothing is the Holick U.S. Pat. No. 2,926,439 entitled "LAUNDRY PROOF PLASTIC INSIGNIA AND NAME PLATE HOLDER-COVER".
The application of pictures to a garment is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,055,133 entitled "JACKET WITH PICTURE POCKETS" issued to Kenneth Anderson. The Anderson patent discloses a vest like jacket having rectangular pockets that are clear so that when photographs are placed in a pocket, they can be seen through the clear plastic material. The clear pockets are formed by a plastic material sewed upon the jacket and divided into individual pockets by cross-sewing.
A doll figure that has appliques is disclosed in the Vandis U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,145.
The Erhardt et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,149 entitled "FABRIC CLOTHING INCLUDING A THREE DIMENSIONAL PATTERN" shows an article of apparel such as a T-shirt that includes multiple fabric layers. The T-shirts includes a fabric layer upon which is attached a three dimensional molded article providing a three dimensional relief pattern on the front part of the T-shirt. The three dimensional molded part includes a flat base disk and raised relief parts with the disk being attached to the T-shirt fabric leaving a hollow area in between the fabric and the raised parts.
An article of clothing to which a three dimensional applique has been applied to provide a decorative effect is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Pat. No. 4,837,864 issued to Thill. The Thill patent provides an applique that is of a flexible non-cloth material such as vinyl, various plastics or rubber which is attached to the front of panel of a T-shirt or sweater. The attachment is accomplished either through sewing or other positive connectors. The three dimensional applique is formed through various molding processes and the shirt or sweater may be cut to receive same.
The Akada et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,848 relates to image formation on any selected kind of objective body. The objective body is discussed as being cards, clothes, papers, and transparent sheets. An example of a garment having a decorative applique is seen in the Diaz U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,219. An image is manufactured directly on a garment, such as by silkscreening. Chenille is sewn about the border of the image, thereby creating a shape with a chenille outline and an interior image. The decorative shapes are said to be letters, numbers, mascots, characters or symbols.
Another patent that discusses the application of an applique to clothing is the LaGreca U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,919. In the LeGreca patent there is disclosed an applique design produced on a garment or other fabric article by providing a chenille material having a fabric base and a plurality of cut or looped threads extending from an upper surface of a fabric base and applying a flexible backing material to a lower surface of the chenille material. The chenille material is cut to form edges having an outline of a desired design and disposed over a garment or fabric base. A polymer film is overlaid on the upper surface of the chenille material and a design is stitched over the film to the chenille material and a garment or fabric base. The stitching comprises closely spaced thread which covers and compresses portions of the film and chenille material. The film provides a barrier layer to prevent the thread loops from extending between the closely spaced thread of the stitching. The film is removed from the unstitched portions of the upper surface of the chenille material whereby the desired design is formed by the stitched and unstitched portions of the chenille material.
Hologram designs have been placed on T-shirts and like articles of clothing for displaying the vivid image that accompanies these types of artistic designs.
An example of a recent patent that relates to the display of holographic art on a T-shirt or other textile product is U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,965 issued to Janice Bussard and entitled "HOLOGRAPHIC ART APPLIED TO T-SHIRTS OR OTHER TEXTILE PRODUCTS". The Bussard '965 patent discloses a hologram being adhered to a textile fabric by means of a silk screen printing ink while at the same time printing a graphic on the textile; the ink embedding the hologram edges therein and the ink containing an ingredient to bond with the hologram.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,499, also issued to Bussard, entitled "MOISTURE AND ABRASION RESISTANT HOLOGRAPHIC PRODUCTS", discloses a product and process comprising a layered hologram and diffraction grating which will resist deterioration from abrasion and moisture as a separate article of commerce or when attached to a substrate (especially fabrics). Such resistance is accomplished by sealing the edges of the layered product and thereby protecting the embossed surface that produces the hologram image or the iridescent diffraction grating pattern. When attached to a substrate by a moisture impermeable adhesive, detachment from the substrate is also inhibited. The combination of holographic art with a printed graphic is thereby perfected.
Another Bussard patent that relates to holographic products is U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,767 entitled "HOLOGRAPHIC PRODUCTS WITH IMPROVED SEALS". The '767 patent discloses an improved process for cutting and simultaneously sealing the cut edges of holographic materials comprising cutting with a hot cutting tool. Suitable cutting tools include a steel rule die, a hot tipped cutter, and a laser. The resulting product can be attached easily to a substrate and will resist delaminations even when attached to a substrate such as a textile material that will be subjected to ordinary washing and drying.
The Fry U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,956,040 and 5,073,222 relate to methods of adhering holograms to textile wearing apparel. Each of these patents discloses a method for adhering holograms to textile wearing apparel involving the steps of laminating a precut hologram between a clear polyester coating and an adhesive scrim backing to envelop the hologram and protect it from moisture and scuffing, cutting margins away from the laminated hologram to form an enveloped hologram and applying the enveloped hologram to wearing apparel at a temperature of between approximately two hundred seventy degrees and three hundred degrees Fahrenheit (270.degree.-F.300.degree. F.) under a pressure of approximately thirty to fifty (30 to 50) psi for a period of approximately eight to fifteen (8 to 15) seconds. A hologram becomes firmly adhered to the wearing apparel and remains impervious to moisture after repeated machine washing and drying cycles.
Recent patents that disclose the concept of an aperture garment having an envelope structure or pocket for displaying an article are the Fox U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,968 and the Kenneth et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,345. The Fox '968 patent discloses an article constituted of pieces of self-adhesive pliable plastic which form a well sealed enveloping structure with may be manually unsealed and opened for the insertion of decorative or information conveying material and then manually closed again and well re-sealed at least one piece of plastic being transparent then at least one piece being selected so as to permit viewing of decorative information conveying material in the enveloping structure.
The Kenneth '345 patent discloses a combination aperture garment product and object adapted for securement in the pocket, where the pocket is attached to the garment by seams and has apertures therein. The object, which may be a teddy bear having appendages, is adapted to be removably secured in the pocket so that the appendages extend outside of the pocket through the apertures and are visible when positioned in the pocket. The apertures are arranged through the pocket panel spaced apart from the seams. The garment may have two dimensional graphic indicia arranged on it and the three dimensional object, when secured in the pocket, forms a part of the graphic indicia.
None of these prior art articles discloses a hologram and graphics display wherein a frame member has a central window for displaying an underlying hologram, and wherein improved three dimensional layered graphics form the frame.